The imminent introduction of 5G across the EU is expected to bring new opportunities for citizens and businesses, through faster browsing, streaming, downloading, as well as better connectivity - a new stage in the evolution of our increasingly interconnected world. 5G wireless communication offers numerous advantages, for instance to medical research, which will benefit from having such extremely high gigabit connectivity. 5G is the foundation technology for the Internet of Things (IoT), where machines will communicate with each other. However, 5G may also bring new threats to human and animal health and to the environment.

In order to discuss these issues, the STOA Panel is organising this virtual workshop. The workshop will be structured around three main questions, which the panellists have been asked to address:

Q1. Is the 2020 International Commission on Non-Ionizing Radiation Protection (ICNIRP) risk assessment of the health and environmental effects of electromagnetic fields, sufficiently robust and reliable for protective policymaking?

Q2. Are the ICNIRP recommended exposure limits for electromagnetic fields, which are based mainly on short term tissue heating effects, sufficiently protective to avoid harm from lower level, longer term exposures that are below the ICNIRP limits.

Q3. Is there enough independent research into the health and environmental effects of 5G, which would help to reassure the public and help minimise future liabilities?

PROGRAMME

10:00-10:05 - WELCOME AND INTRODUCTION

- Michèle Rivasi, MEP and STOA Panel Member

- Ivo Hristov, MEP and STOA Panel Member

10:05-11:05 - HEALTH IMPACT OF 5G

- Fiorella Belpoggi, Ramazzini Institute, Bologna, Italy

- Elisabeth Cardis, Barcelona Institute for Global Health (ISGlobal), Spain

- Rodney Croft, International Commission on Non-Ionizing Radiation Protection (ICNIRP)

- Franz Karcher, DG Sante, European Commission

11:05-11:35 - ENVIRONMENTAL IMPACT OF 5G

- Arno Thielens, Ghent University - imec, Ghent, Belgium

- Gerard Ledoigt, Clermont Université, Clermont-Ferrand, France

11:35-12:00 - Q&A FROM THE AUDIENCE AND CLOSING REMARKS

- Q&A from the audience

- Ivo Hristov, MEP and STOA Panel Member

- Michèle Rivasi, MEP and STOA Panel Member

Moderator: David Gee, Institute of Environment, Health, and Societies, Brunel University, London, UK